Lionsgate has launched the first 10 minutes of its Marvel animated feature, ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2, on the popular website, Habbo.com. This event marks the first time the online community will be able to view 10 full minutes of a never-before-seen film prior to its release.
During the premiere event on July 26, 2006, registered users of the site, called Habbos were not only able to view the film footage, but also respond within the community immediately even while the footage is still playing. After the premiere showing, Habbos were treated to an interactive Q&A session with the Marvel heroes from the movie who attended the premiere. The footage will be viewable on Habbo.com for two weeks leading up to the August 8, DVD release of ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2.
This partnership with Habbo on ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2 opens up exciting, new ways to reach a big audience and do it in a breakthrough way that strengthens the involvement of the consumer said Michael Rathauser, vp of marketing, Lionsgate. The Habbo world provides a unique opportunity to not only stream our content for viewing online, but to do it in a community environment that encourages instant reaction to the footage and which generates the potential for significant word-of-mouth. With Habbos enthusiastic, highly involved user base, the buzz about the movie will just continue to build leading up to the DVD release.
"By partnering with Lionsgate, we are making it possible for our users, aka Habbos, and Marvel fans to interact with one another and extend their Avengers experience through an online event like no other. The Habbo teen community undoubtedly already feels a strong connection to the Avengers characters, such as the Hulk, Captain America, Thor and Iron man, but at the same time, Habbo provides a great forum to attract a new audience as well. This will be the first real time interaction and feedback session of its kind in an online environment, instantly giving the users a sense of ownership, said Janne Kouri, regional director, North America.
ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2 is the second film in a multi-picture deal between Lionsgate and Marvel Studios and is the sequel to ULTIMATE AVENGERS: THE MOVIE. The DVD will sell for $19.98. Additionally, the DVD features a gag reel, a featurette, DVD-ROM game and more.
HABBO is a multi-dimensional virtual community and game environment for teens. Users join by creating a fully-customized online character called a Habbo. From there, they can explore many public hang outs, play a variety of games, connect with friends, decorate their own rooms and have fun through creativity and self expression. Since its launch in 2000 by Sulake Corp., an interactive entertainment company that specializes in developing, publishing and distributing multiplayer social networking communities and games, HABBO sites have been introduced in 18 countries on five continents, with more than 53 million Habbo characters created and more than 7 million unique users each month. The highly-trafficked U.S site, www.habbo.com, is visited by more than 1.7 million unique users per month who spend on average more than three hours a week on the site. Sulake has headquarters in Finland and offices in 17 countries. The company has more than 270 employees worldwide. Sulake is extending the Habbo brand to include e.g. mobile games and content, and merchandising and licensing products.
Lionsgate (www.lionsgate.com) is a leading independent filmed entertainment studio, generating two consecutive years of $300 million-plus domestic theatrical box office, operating a $500 million-plus home entertainment business and producing a broad slate of primetime television series for fiscal 2007. It is a premier producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand content. Its library of more than 5,500 titles is a valuable source of stable, recurring revenue.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
